How To Create an Efficient Kitchen

Whether you like to get creative in the kitchen every so often or you regularly invite the neighborhood over for a cookout at your place, having an efficient kitchen can help you be a better chef. Consider how you can improve your kitchen.

Preparation Area

All kitchens have food preparation zones. Some people have a large island to prepare the food, while others have small work carts on swivel wheels that they can move throughout the kitchen and use wherever is most efficient. Make sure your food prep area is large enough for your cutting board to not only lay flat but fit without anyone bumping the edges. Keep knives, hand towels, and disinfectant close to your preparation area; otherwise, you’ll continually have to move throughout the kitchen to get what you regularly need.

Cookware

Store your pots and pans close to the stove. If you’re a right-handed individual, keep your cookware on the right side of your stove. The opposite is true if you are left-handed.

You might be tempted to keep your baking trays near the oven, but most people will assemble their baked dishes away from the oven. It makes more sense to keep baking trays near your preparation area because that’s where you’ll first need them.

Mats

Cooking can be hard on the body, especially if you’re in the kitchen for hours every day. Use anti-fatigue mats to take the pressure off your back and legs. Consider placing the mats in the areas where you stand the most. For example, you can put thick mats in front of the stove, the sink, and the preparation area. As a bonus, mats protect the floor from wear and tear that can happen from walking in the same areas for years.

Spices

Place spices next to the stove. While you’ll need them to flavor dishes during the preparation phase, you’ll regularly taste and season any dish you’re cooking on the stove. It may be a little tiring to have to grab your spices and move them to the preparation area as needed, but you’ll be happy to have your seasonings close by if you have a dish on the stove and need to carefully tend to it.

It doesn’t take much to have an organized and efficient kitchen. The most important thing to remember is that you don’t want to run around the space to find what you’re looking for; therefore, think about your cooking zones and what you’ll need while in those areas, then place those items close by. It’s that easy!